The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-09-17
Model that we all may copy. Look to Christ
tho Aulhor and Finishcr Of Faith,

past, and urged upon the congregation 10 DC
present at all the services, rs now new
year of church work had began.
AT THE METHODIST CHURCH.
The new work on the auditorium room OF
the Methodist Church is very fine, indeed
and no description that we can give OF II
will convey q fair idea Of its magniIcence
1t must be seen to he appreciated The Walls
are marked of in panels and frescoed IN the
most elegant designs The ceiling il perhaps
the handsomest Of all the frescoinS' There
are on the ceiling eight panels, nearly
square, formed by the beams or supports oil
the roof. These panels are frescoed IN three
designs, the two front ones being alike, the
four center, and the two rear In all oil
these the matchmaking color is beautiful
light buff The cornice around the top oil
the room has IA touch Of bright scarlet that
adds wonderfully TO the effect.
The organ had been moved from the right
of the pulpit to position just behind it, and
the ratings and choir seats arranged accord
lngly.
The PASTORS remarks we're Of an extremely
interesting character, rs matter OF the his;
tory of the church. The edifce was dedi-
Gated Just twenty one years ago last Sunday,
and the pastor, in mentioning that fact.
asked all those before him who were present
ut the dedication twenty one years ago, to
rise; there were thirty.one people who stood
up. The pastor then went on TO give list
of the pastors who had filled the pulpit in
the past twenty one years. The dedication
sermon was preached by the Rev. 7. u.
Eddy, now of Chicago, and in the evening OF
the same day the Rev. g. II. Fowler, now
Bishop Fowler, preached.
The first pastor of the church was Rev.
John A. Gray, who remained three years
He was succeeded by the Rev. d. J. Holmes,
the present pastor, who remained three
years. Then came the Rev. T. {. Clenden-
ming, who was here but a short time, The
pulpit was then filled for a period Of years
by the following gentlemen: Rev James
Vaughn, Rev. T. Il. Strowbfidgc (uow Of Au-
roral, Rev. John Ellis, Rev. ". IT, Goss, Rev.
T.. G. Arnold, Rev. George S, Young, Rev
Aaron Quincy, Rev. Jennie Coxwell, Rev. IS
NJ. Davis, and then the present pastor who
was gladly welcomed for a second term Of
pastorship. He has only been here one year
this time, and his congregation hope and ex-
pect that he may remain two years more, or
to the limit allowed by the conference
Looking back through eur files, we find in
THE FREE TRADER of September -, 1866,
the following account Of the dedication of
the New Methodist Church,
The new Methodist Church in this city, in
accordance with previous announcements,
was, on Sunday last, dedicated to Almighty
| God. II is a beautiful brick structure of the
Gothic Norman order, beautifully frescoed,
and seating 500 persons, with choir, organ,
and ample basement room for Offices, Sunday
school, etc. The building cost some So 00O,
I Inc ucblCulOlS St'hiui WIS ITttbhtu ny
the Rev 4. NJ. Eddy, OF Chicago, and, like
! OIL his sermons, was able and impressive.
I}efore closing, however. and before he was
! willing 10 make the formal announcement
that the church was dedicated, DR.. H. re-
minded the people tn there was still a debt
of some 5000 due on ~the building, and
this, he insisted, provision musthe made for
paying SO he called upon the people to
give accordingly ~ God had prospcrcd fsem,
and In less than half an hour about #7,CSp
were donated and the debt was wiped out
Then Dr. +. said he could now proclaim the
dedication with clear conscience, and with
the bencdiction, the large audience was dis
missed.
The debt there mentioned was promptly
paid off, and it is gratifying to see now over
81 800 worth of new irescoing oil the most
modern order put upon the interior Of the
same building, and this, too, all paid for.
Previous to moving into the present build
ing in 1866, the Methodist society Of this
place occupied n church which was located
on La Sale street, about where the Windsor
Hotel now is. 1t was little, old, wooden
structure, and sat little further back in the
lot than the old St. Nicholas Hotel is. When
the new church was built, tins was sold to the
German Lutheran society, and was aftcrward
torn down and the present brick block
erected in its place.
Tho well known temperance lecturer, Geo
Woodford, spoke ut the Methodist Church
last Sunday, on the subject Of Temper
ance." The house was packed to overflow.
ing. The speaker, in opening, dwelt upon
the necessity of temperance being gospel
temperance. He then went straight tor his
subject, and, in an eloquent and forcible ad-
dress, he argued the cause of total absti
hence with great power The discourse was
good, and the perfect and finished oratory Of
the speaker added double charm to the
lecture.
Chicago Exposition Excursion.
The Burlington Route &c, d. & q. Il. ~
will sell excursion tickets to Chicago on the